But Gilbert raged: “The pace of play was diabolical from pretty much start to finish, and it wasn’t me.

“The last three frames, I was 9-7 up, and it felt like they took about eight hours. It was worse than gruelling – that’s not snooker.”

Other players joined in on social media. Matt Selt said: “I’m sorry but this amount of time on a shot shouldn’t be allowed… it’s pathetic!”

And former ranking event winner Joe Perry added: “Totally agree. Don’t care that it’s 9-9. #shotclock
O’Brien said: “You have the pressure of trying to qualify after previous disappointments, you are running on fumes and it is hard to think clearly after six hours.

Gilbert raged: ‘The pace of play was diabolical from pretty much start to finish, and it wasn’t me.’

“I remember a frame against Doug Mountjoy once at the Crucible, 22 minutes on one ball – but I hope Fergal doesn’t take too much stick.

“It is almost life and death, it is the World Championship and you’re not doing anything illegal. I admire the tenacity, even if you don’t want that every frame.

“But in that situation you are playing for everything, your family, what you stand for, and in a decider for a Crucible place it takes the time it takes.”

Five other most boring moments in snooker

Rory McLeod v Ricky Walden, first round, 2011After a turgid match Walden famously likened the experience to “a trip to the dentist”, a nickname McLeod has struggled to shake off. Judd Trump is next in the dentist’s chair this year.

Peter Ebdon v Ronnie O’Sullivan, quarter-final, 2005
O’Sullivan led 8-2 but Ebdon slowed the pace of the contest to a crawl, taking three minutes over one shot and five minutes and 40 seconds over a break of 12 – less than O’Sullivan took in 1997 for a 147 break.

Cliff Thorburn v Terry Griffiths, last 16, 1983Two of the master old-school tacticians ground it out until 3.51am, not leaving the building until the sun was rising over the Crucible. Earlier – much earlier – in the match Thorburn made the first 147 at the venue.

Eddie Charlton v Cliff Thorburn, first round, 1989‘Steady Eddie’ against the ‘Grinder’ always promised a late finish and it duly got one – 3.20am. Charlton won 10-9 and was asked if it was good viewing for the crowd. “F*** the crowd,” he replied.

Mark Selby v Marco Fu, semi-final, 2016
Selby would go on to deservedly win a second world title last year, but this was the lowlight of his tournament. The longest frame in Crucible history, coming in at one hour, 17 minutes and 35 seconds.